Agastache plant named ‘After Eight’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Agastache  plant named ‘After Eight’, characterized by its upright, mounded and compact plant habit; freely flowering habit with numerous spikes per plant and numerous flowers per spike; and violet blue-colored flowers.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Agastacherugosa×Agastache foeniculum cultivar After Eight.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofAgastache plant, botanically known as Agastache rugosa×Agastachefoeniculum, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘After Eight’.

The new Agastache is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Suameer, The Netherlands. The new Agastache wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor in a seed bed of sown Agastacheseed from various cross-pollinations of unnamed Agastache rugosaseedling selections, not patented, with unnamed Agastache foeniculumseedling selections, not patented, in a controlled environment inSuameer, The Netherlands in 1996. The new Agastache was selected as anindividual seedling within the progeny of these variouscross-pollinations on the basis of its violet blue-colored flowers.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by vegetative cuttings atSuameer, The Netherlands, has shown that the unique features of this newAgastache are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar After Eight have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘After Eight’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘After Eight’ as a new and distinct Agastachecultivar:

-   -   1. Upright, mounded and compact plant habit.    -   2. Freely flowering habit with numerous spikes per plant and        numerous flowers per spike.    -   3. Violet blue-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Agastache are similar to plants of the parentselections. Compared to plants of the parent selections, plants of thenew Agastache are more compact, have deeper violet blue flowercoloration, and flower for a longer period of time.

Plants of the new Agastache can also be compared to plants of theAgastache cultivar Blue Fortune, not patented. Compared to plants of thecultivar Blue Fortune, plants of the new Agastache are more compact,flower for a longer period of time and have darker violet blue-coloredflowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Agastache.

The photograph on the right side of the sheet comprises a sideperspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘After Eight’ grown ina outdoor nursery.

The photograph on the left side of the sheet is a close-up view oftypical flowering spikes of ‘After Eight’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants shown in the aforementioned photographs and used in the followingdescription were grown under conditions which closely approximatecommercial production conditions during the spring and summer in anoutdoor nursery in Suameer, The Netherlands. Plants in the photographsand those used for the description were about one year old when thephotographs and description were taken. In the following description,color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Agastache rugosa×Agastache foeniculum    cultivar After Eight.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed Agastache rugosa seedling            selections, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed Agastache foeniculum            seedling selections, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate and develop roots.—About 14 days during the            spring under outdoor production conditions, about 15° C.        -   Root description.—Numerous; fine.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Perennial. Upright, mounded and compact plant habit;            broad inverted triangle. Flowering stems arise from the            roots; moderate branching from the stems, typically about            six to eight lateral branches per plant; dense and bushy            plant habit; moderate to vigorous growth habit. Freely            flowering with numerous flowering spikes per plant and            numerous flowers arranged in verticillasters on crowded            spikes.        -   Plant height.—About 45 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 35 to 45 cm.        -   Stem description.—Diameter: About 3 mm. Internode length:            About 6 to 15 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Towards the base, 165A; towards the apex,            183C.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple. Length:            About 4 to 6.5 cm. Width: About 1.8 to 3 cm. Shape:            Lanceolate to ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin:            Serrate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Fragrance: When rubbed,            strong peppermint scent. Color: Developing foliage, upper            surface: 147A; venation, 147A. Developing foliage, lower            surface: 183A; venation, 184B. Fully expanded foliage, upper            surface: 144A; venation, 144A. Fully expanded foliage, lower            surface: 137D; venation, 147C. Petiole length: About 1 to            2.5 cm. Petiole diameter: About 1.5 to 2 mm. Petiole color,            developing foliage: 183C. Petiole color, fully expanded            foliage: 165A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and shape.—Numerous single labiate            flowers arranged in verticillasters on terminal spikes;            flowers face mostly outwardly. Freely flowering, about 1,200            to 1,500 flowers and flower buds per plant; about 200            flowers and flower buds develop per flower spike.        -   Natural flowering season.—Continuous flowering from the late            spring through fall in The Netherlands.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Individual flowers last about            one week on the plant. Flowers not persistent.        -   Fragrance.—When rubbed, strong peppermint scent.        -   Flower buds (about one day before opening).—Length: About            0.5 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Shape: Obovate. Color: 86B.        -   Flower spike length.—About 10 cm.        -   Flower spike diameter.—About 3 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 7 to 9 mm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 5 mm.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: Labiate; corolla two lipped, upper lip            erect with two lobes, lower lip with three lobes; lips fused            at the base. Length: About 7 to 9 mm. Shape: Oblanceolate.            Apex: Acute to obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and            fully opened, upper surface: 97A. When opening and fully            opened, lower surface: 97A.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Five sepals fused into a tube. Calyx            length: About 4 to 5 mm. Calyx width: About 2 mm. Apex:            Acuminate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces:            86A.        -   Peduncles.—Strength: Strong. Length: About 15 to 45 cm.            Diameter: About 3 mm. Aspect: Mostly erect. Texture: Smooth.            Color: 183C.        -   Pedicels.—Strength: Moderately strong. Length: About 1 to            2 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm. Aspect: About 40 to 50° from            vertical. Texture: Smooth. Color: 69C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About            four. Anther attachment: Dorsifixed. Anther length: About            0.7 to 1 mm. Anther color: 97A. Pollen amount: Sparse.            Pollen color: 11A. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil            length: About 0.7 to 0.9 mm. Stigma shape: Three-parted;            recurved. Stigma color: 96A. Style length: About 0.7 to            0.9 mm. Style color: 97A. Ovary color: 72C.        -   Fruit.—Type: Nutlet. Shape: Round. Length: About 1 mm.            Diameter: About 1 mm. Color: Close to 202A.        -   Seed.—Length: Less than 1 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm.            Color: Close to 202A.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Agastache have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Agastache.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Agastache plant named ‘After Eight’,as illustrated and described.